The Pyrenees always calls me back. I loved doing the whole of the HRP (haute route Pyrenees – 750km coast to coast) last year and my wanderings the year before. This year I am taking a slightly loop de loop approach, starting in Ax les thermes, heading east for a bit to do the Tour […]
It’s August, time for the Pyrenees Read More »
Day 21 (continued) – Etang de l’albe to Ruisseau de la grave (via Hospitalet pres de l’andorre at the start of the final stage 5) 27.5 hiked, c.1715m ascent, bivvied on a flat spot above the stream en route to Bouilliouse lake In total 567k walked, 3.2kg cheese consumed (the first few paras are a
Day 16 – Salardu to Alos d’isil – lost my hiking mojo – a wall of grass, an exposed ridge and a neverending boulder field 24k hiked, c.1800m ascent, pitched near the river, discreetly, ten minutes up the road from Alos In total 454.5 walked, 2.6kg cheese consumed Hubby dropped me off at the trail
Day 10 – Gavarnie to Lac Barroude – two rolled ankles, a skinned knee, a great lunch, and a misty afternoon 30k hiked, c.2900m ascent, bivouacked next to Lac Barroude In total 306.5k walked, 1.8kg cheese consumed I didn’t have much of a plan today. I had hoped to sleep in as was planning on
Haute Route Pyrenean stage 3 – Gavarnie to Salardu (150k in 5.5 days) Read More »
Day 6 Lescun to Candanchu – an epic day of inversions 36k hiked, 2560m ascent, Stayed at a ski resort in Candanchu In total 204k walked, 1.3kg cheese consumed I woke up at 5 and it was raining, and I finally roused myself at 6.10, packed up my went tent, after putting on my wet
Haute Route Pyrenean stage 2 – Lescun to Gavarnie (four days, 125km) Read More »
So, avid blog readers may remember I hiked part of the haute route Pyrenean last year (a.k.a the Pyrenean High Route or the HRP). I loved the sections I did, and part of me also wanted to do the full traverse of the width of France (having done the lengthwise traverse a few years back),
The other trek I had wanted to do in Ladakh was the high altitude walk from Rumtse to Tso Moriro – not a technical trail but apparently one of the most stunning in the region. Arranging it was slightly problematic as almost everyone does this 100km on a group trek with horsemen, guides, and a
Markha regularly comes up in search lists of the worlds greatest hikes, and has long been a popular commercial route. Skirting Kanda La Pass at 4900m at the beginning of the trek and then meandering up the Markha valley before heading over the Gong Maru La pass at 5350m at the end (altitude map below
Melting in the Markha Valley (84km, 3 and a bit days) Read More »
So next up is the Huayhuash – pronounced Why wash – which absolutely tickles me. Most of my friends who are excellent day hikers spurn coming to the mountains with me for longer trips as they don’t want to sleep in a tent and they would like to have a shower from time to time.
Wandering the Why wash (Huayhuash) in Peru (120km, 5 days) Read More »
I have been loving the high altitude treks in the Himalayas, and have a few weeks free so am heading to Northern Peru to hike the Alpamayo and the Cordillera Huayhuash (pronounced Why wash) treks. The guidebooks say each trek takes 10 days with mules and porters, so I have planned to do each in
Ambling the Alpamayo in Peru (Brutal 120km over 5 days) Read More »